AuntyM
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Looking for a few good fish!
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Loc: Harstine Island
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I read something on Ifish that I'd like both of you to comment on. Nate Mantua said on a radio program that there are more salmon in the north Pacific ocean now than at any other time in history. (not exact quote) and I think that's BS.
He said it on the following radio program. http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=14631 Sorry, it's an hour long show.
So what do you guys think? Is he right?
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The Monster Breathes!
"Don't fall in!" Doug Richert Sr. 10/18/2008
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Eddie
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steelie
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I am not nearly as qualified as Salmo or Gooose but let me take a whack at this. Depends on what stage of the lifecycle we are talking about. If we are talking about the overall number (hatchery and wild) that hit the ocean at the start of their growing cycle, it may be true. In terms of mature adults on their way back to the natal river, I think we all know the answer to that one.
-------------------- "You're not a g*dda*n looney Martini, you're a fisherman!"
RP McMurphy - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
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workin4fishin
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Chromer - I wonder what one looks like up close
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Post deleted by workin4fishin
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Todd R
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Chromer
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I think it would also be instructive to look at the overall composition of the entire North Pacific salmon population...like what proportion of them are pinks and sockeye, versus Chinook and coho.
With the massive sockeye hatcheries in Alaska, I suspect the number of sockeye up there is artificially much higher than it would have been historically.
I haven't heard that from Nate...I'll give him a shout and see what the story is.
Fish on...
Todd
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For all your fishing hardware needs!
"Correct in Design"
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AuntyM
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Looking for a few good fish!
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Loc: Harstine Island
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Nate was referring to the northern northern Pacific, as in AK and Russia, and he meant adults in the ocean I believe.
We may be seeing record harvest levels in AK, but that doesn't mean we have "more" salmon IMO. It just means we're better at intercepting them, again, IMO.
If anyone has time to listen to that radio show, it's pretty interesting. Especially the tribal bio's input. Sounds like he wants to set us all up for another lawsuit down the road.
-------------------- http://www.ccapnw.org
The Monster Breathes!
"Don't fall in!" Doug Richert Sr. 10/18/2008
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Cowlitzfisherman
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steelie
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And the Pacific Northwest Saga goes on and on and really nothing changes. It's all about money people…not fish!
-------------------- CCA Your Best Bet For The Fish
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Salmo_g
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silver
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Aunty M,
I think it's true. That's based on the huge production of hatchery chum salmon in Japan. It's been many years now, but I recall hearing that Japan releases something like 6 billion juvenile chum salmon each year. So the total salmon population in the north Pacific could be higher than ever, but it's not the same species composition that used to prevail.
Sg
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Lead_Bouncer
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Native Slab
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what do Chum eat in the ocean?
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Salmo_g
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silver
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Chum start out as fry (or maybe hatchery fingerlings in Japan) and feed on copepods, amphipods, then move up to euphausids, shrimp, krill, squid, and baitfish as adults.
Sg
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